By now, it's well established that as much as we love a simple syrup-fuelled cocktail or night spent hovering over a cheese plate; but we're also suckers for the feeling that only comes after a few days of clean, nutrient-dense eating. It needn't be about weight loss or achieving some impossible, arbitrary goal—our bodies and brains are just happier when we're putting health-enhancing food in our mouths. It's all about a tricky little thing by the name of balance—something that we find is increasingly hard to come by—and in the interest of attempting to achieve it, we've turned to Vanessa Packer and Nicole Berrie of Bonberi (you might remember them from our previous forays into feel-better eating plans). Here, they break down the best ways to get things back on track—we know all too well how real the, "two bowls of Special K, 3 pieces of turkey bacon, handful of popcorn, 5 peanut butter M&M's and, like, 3 pieces of licorice" struggle is.
Dear Coveteur Readers,
Spring is here! Now that winter’s chill has finally subsided, we’ve assembled a three day vegan, dairy and gluten-free cleanse, perfect for jumpstarting your digestive system for the warmer months to come. With an emphasis on seasonal fruits and vegetables, this produce-rich plan focuses on alkalinity and pays little to no attention to portion control and counting calories. Keep in mind, the goal here is to stay raw until dinner time so don’t be afraid to load up on the fresh produce all day to keep satiated. For this reason, we’ve include a juice and a smoothie for breakfast. Why raw ‘til dinner? We want to arm our systems with as many raw enzymes and alkaline foods as possible to fill our body with the nutrients and vitality it’s been hungering for all winter! We add a cooked meal at dinner time to slow down the detoxification process and allows our body to cleanse slowly and more efficiently. Below, we’ve also outlined general guidelines if you like a little wiggle-room--which you can continue to follow post-cleanse. Keep cleansed and carry on!
With Love,
Nicole & Vanessa
General Guidelines:
1.THROW PORTION CONTROL OUT THE WINDOW, load up on all the fresh produce you can! If your salad is usually just one head of romaine, make it two. If a fruit salad means half a pineapple and half a ripe (read: spotted) banana, make it a whole pineapple and two bananas.
2.THE FARMER'S MARKET is beginning to blossom with tons of seasonal ripe fruits. When those strawberries come in, stock up and toss them in the freezer for future smoothies.
3. FERMENTED FOODS (think: sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles etc.) are a well-digested stomach’s best friend. Feel free to add these to any of your salads for an extra probiotic boost.
4.YES, WE KNOW, YOU LOVE KALE. But the cruciferous green, which usually shines in the fall has taken second seat to good ol’ spinach, which is at its height now until summer. So make the swap.
5.DON'T BE AFRAID TO GO TROPICAL WITH YOUR FRUITS. Since we’re still not in the height of peach, plum and watermelon season, don’t be afraid to go tropical with your fruits (read: pineapple, mango, papaya), just make sure they’re organic.
6.OMIT THE USUAL SUSPECTS. As always, with a cleanse, omit the usual suspects: refined sugar, alcohol, caffeine, red meat, dairy and wheat.
DAY ONE:
BREAKFAST: 'Washing Machine' Juice
LATE A.M: 'Spring Breakfast' Smoothie
LUNCH: 'Cafe Flora' Salad
DINNER: 'Rainbow Brite' Salad with Lemon Tahini Black Pepper Dressing and ‘Farmstand Ssambap’ With Lettuce Cups or Nori Sheets
DAY two:
BREAKFAST: 'Washing Machine' Juice
LATE A.M: 'Bain de Soliel' Smoothie
LUNCH: 'Koh Samui' Pad Thai
DINNER: ‘Club 505’ Crudite and Fava Bean Dip with ‘Coqui Coqui’ Stuffed Peppers
DAY three:
BREAKFAST: 'Washing Machine' Juice
LATE A.M:‘ Shelter Island’ Strawberry Mint Smoothie
LUNCH: ‘Rainbow Brite’ Salad with Lemon Tahini Black Pepper Dressing
DINNER: ‘Main Street’ Chopped Salad with The ‘Ina 2.0’ Warm New Potato Salad
The Recipes
BREAKFAST
'WASHING MACHINE' JUICE
-1 head of Romaine
-1 Cucumber
-1 Lemon
-4-5 stalks of Celery
-¼ of a Jalapeno
-Handful of Cilantro
-Optional: 2 green apples for sweetness
In a high-powered juicer, juice all ingredients and drink immediately. (Fresh juices tend to lose their vitality after 30 minutes.)
SPRING BREAKFAST' SMOOTHIE
-Dark Leafy Green Spinach
-Frozen Banana
-Frozen Papaya
-Mixed Berries
-4 Ripe Figs
-Filtered Water
Optional: Vegan Protein Powder, Maca Powder, Chia Seeds (make gelatinous)
In a high-powered blender, blend all ingredients, adding as much water for the consistency you like. Drink immediately or store in the fridge for up to 6 hours.
'BAIN DE SOLEIL' SMOOTHIE
-½ Pineapple
-2 Cups Raw Coconut Water
-1 Frozen Ripe Banana
-Handful of Fresh Spinach
-½ Cup Frozen Mango
-1 Knob Ginger
-Small Handful of Cilantro
Optional: Bee Pollen, Shredded Raw/Unsweetened Coconut, Drops of Vitamin D supplement, 10 Tablets of Sun Chlorella
In a high-powered blender, blend all ingredients, adding more water depending on the consistency you like. Drink immediately or store in the fridge for up to 6 hours.
'SHELTER ISLAND' STRAWBERRY MINT SMOOTHIE
-1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries
-1 frozen banana
-1 handful of fresh spinach
-1 small handful of fresh mint
-2 cups of raw coconut water
Optional: dash of cayenne pepper
In a high-powered blender, blend all ingredients, adding more water depending on the consistency you like. Drink immediately or store in the fridge for up to 6 hours.
LUNCH
'CAFE FLORA' SALAD
-Handful of Shaved Radishes
-1 Cup of Raw Haricot Verts
-1-2 Heads Bibb Lettuce (or Mesclun Greens)
-Small Handful of Chopped Chives
Optional: ½ or 1 whole avocado
DRESSING:
-Juice of 1 lemon
-1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon of raw honey
-water for consistency
-Sea salt/black pepper to taste
In a small food processor or blender, blend all dressing ingredients and set aside. Layer the cooked haricots verts and fingerling potatoes on the bottom of a large bowl. Add all raw salad ingredients on top. Dress salad and eat immediately.
'KOH SAMUI' PAD THAI
-Handful of mint, chopped
-Handful of basil, chopped
-Handful of chopped cilantro, chopped
-2 Zucchinis, spiralized or julienned into “noodles”
-2 large carrots, julienned
-1 bell pepper, chopped
-1 large cucumber, spiralized or julienned into “noodles”
-½ cup of raw bean sprouts
-Optional: ½ cup of raw kimchi, chopped
DRESSING:
-1 teaspoon of raw almond butter
-½ teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
-2 tablespoons gluten-free tamari, juice of 2 limes
-½ teaspoon of raw honey
-½ teaspoon of fresh ginger, minced
-1 clove of garlic, minced
In a small food processor or blender, blend all dressing ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, toss together all the salad ingredients. Dress and toss salad well, serve immediately.
'RAINBOW BRITE' SALAD
-1-2 heads of romaine or boston lettuce
-1 zucchini, julienned
-1 large cucumber, julienned
-2 large carrots, julienned
-½ raw beet, grated
-1 large tomato, chopped
-½ cup of raw sauerkraut (we love Hawthorne Valley)
-½ avocado, chopped
-Handful of fresh herbs (chives, cilantro, basil, parsley) chopped
LEMON TAHINI BLACK PEPPER DRESSING
-Juice of 2 lemons
-2 tablespoons of raw tahini
-2 cloves of garlic
-Sea salt/tons of black pepper to taste
-Water for consistency
In a small food processor or blender, blend all dressing ingredients and set aside. In a large salad bowl, fill with lettuce. Arrange remaining ingredients around the perimeter of the bowl and in the middle, place the chopped avocado, sprinkle chopped herbs. Dress and eat immediately.
DINNER
'FARMSTAND SSAMBAP' WITH LETTUCE CUPS OR NORI SHEETS
-2 large carrots, chopped
-2 large tomatoes, chopped
-1 can of chickpeas, strained (reserve ½ can of liquid)
-Handful of fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, parsley)
-2 cups of chopped swiss chard
-1 zucchini, chopped
-1 red onion, chopped
-1 teaspoon of curry powder
-½ teaspoon of cumin
-1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
-Head of boston or red leaf lettuce for “cups” (You can also use large nori/seaweed sheets for wrapping)
-1-2 cups of cooked quinoa
-Optional: ½ cup of raw kimchi, chopped
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a casserole dish, add chickpeas and cover with ½ can of liquid. Add swiss chard, zucchini, tomatoes, red onion and herbs. Sprinkle in curry powder and cumin and mix well. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil and season on top with sea salt and black pepper. Bake for 30-45 minutes to an hour until liquid is bubbling and veggies are browned or somewhat charred. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve with lettuce cups, quinoa and raw kimchi on the side.
'CLUB 505' CRUDITE AND FAVA BEAN DIP
-2 large carrots, peeled
-1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced into spears
-1 bulb of fennel, quartered
-4 radishes, de-stemmed and halved
-1 large tomato, quartered
FAVA DIP
- 1 cup of shelled fresh fava beans (1 1/4 pounds in pods)
- 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1/4 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch of fresh mint leaves
- 1 shallot, minced
- Sea salt/ Black Pepper to taste
In a large pot of boiling water, cook fava beans, about 5 minutes. Strain and add to food processor or high-speed blender. Add lemon juice/zest, mint, garlic, shallot and olive oil. Blend until creamy. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve with raw crudite.
'COQUI COQUI' STUFFED PEPPERS
-4 green bell peppers, with tops cut off and seeds scooped out
-Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
-½ jalapeno, with seeds discarded and minced
-1 teaspoon of chili powder
-½ teaspoon of cumin
-2 cloves of garlic, minced
-1 large yellow onion, minced
-1 tablespoon of olive oil or avocado oil
-1 zucchini, minced
-1 can of black beans, strained
-½ cup of fresh or frozen spring peas
-1 cup of swiss chard or spinach, finely minced
-2 portobello mushroom caps, minced
-4-6 cups of cooked quinoa
-2 limes
-Sea salt / black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a cast-iron or medium shallow pan, saute onion, jalapeno and garlic until fragrant. Add chili powder and cumin and saute for 1-2 minutes. When onion is translucent, add black beans, swiss chard, peas, portobello and zucchini and continue to saute for 5 minutes. Add cooked quinoa and saute for another five minutes. Remove from heat and add cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange green bell peppers on a baking sheet and carefully stuff peppers with quinoa mixture to the top. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until peppers are soft and the edges are slightly chared. Serve with chopped avocado on top and wedges of lime.
'MAIN STREET' CHOPPED SALAD
-2 cups mixed lettuce (romaine, gem, spinach, chard or arugula)
-½ cup of shaved or shredded carrots
-½ cup of shaved radishes
-1 large tomato, chopped
-1 ear of corn, chopped
-½ cup of chickpeas
-1 large cucumber, chopped
-1 cup of steamed heirloom beans
GREEN GODDESS DRESSING:
-1 avocado
-1 small handful of fresh tarragon
-1 small handful of fresh chives
-1 small handful of fresh parsley
-2 cloves garlic
-Juice of 1 lemon
-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
-Sea salt/black pepper for taste
-Water for consistency
In a small food processor or blender, blend all dressing ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, toss together all the salad ingredients. Dress and toss salad well, serve immediately.
THE 'INA 2.0' WARM NEW POTATO SALAD
-2 stalks of celery, chopped
-1 handful of fresh dill, chopped
-1 handful of fresh chives, chopped
-1 small red onion, chopped
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1 pound of new potatoes or baby red bliss potatoes (fingerlings would work too)
-Optional: 2 large half-sour pickles
DRESSING:
-2 tablespoons grainy dijon mustard
-2 tablespoons of olive oil
-Juice and zest of 1 lemon
-Sea salt/black pepper to taste
-1 shallot, minced
-¼ cup of apple cider vinegar
In a ramekin or small bowl, add chopped shallots and apple cider vinegar to allow shallots to “pickle” for 15 minutes. After 15-20 minutes, strain out vinegar and pickled set shallots aside.
In a large pot, boil potatoes until tender or can be easily pierced with a fork. Strain and set aside to dry and cool off.
In a large bowl, add potatoes, onion, fresh herbs, garlic, pickles, pickled shallots and celery. Dress the potatoes with olive oil, mustard and lemon. Season with salt/pepper. Serve warm.